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Wednesday, March 1, 2000

Postal Service soliciting bids for new home

By ROSIE FLORESStaff WriterPECOS, Mar. 1, 2000 - A new Pecos Post Office is a step closer to being
realized, after the U.S. Postal Service began accepting proposals for construction
this week.

"We posted solicitation for proposals for bids on Monday," said Pecos
Postmaster Ramona Sterling. The bids specifications are posted at the Pecos
Post Office for anyone who wishes to submit a bid proposal.

The new Post Office will be located on Cedar Street, between Eighth
and Ninth Streets. The site was selected last year and the new building
will replace the 65-year-old Post Office located at Fourth and Oak streets.

The Postal Service is seeking proposals for the facility, which would
be constructed at a specified annual rental and for 20 years, with renewal
options three, five-year renewal options.

The block they are looking to build on contains approximately 75,000
gross square feet of land, according to the solicitation. Net interior
space would be for 6,479 square feet.

The Postal Service said a lack of customer parking was one of the main
reasons behind the decision to build a new facility. The Pecos Post Office,
and a smaller one in Toyahvale, are among the main new buildings the Postal
Service has had built in recent years.

Bid proposals will close March 24 and the appropriate paperwork can
be obtained at the Pecos Post Office.

The Dallas facility, which is in charge of projects like this, have
45 days to analyze and award the bids and then they have 150-180 days to
construct the facility.

The first floor of the current three-story building has been occupied
by the Post Office since 1935. The top two floors of the building were
used by the U.S. District Court and other federal offices from 1935-95,
when the Lucius D. Bunton Federal Courthouse opened two blocks to the east,
at Fourth and Cedar streets.

TxDOT hits dead end on finding paving bids

By JON FULBRIGHTStaff WriterPECOS, Mar. 1, 2000 - Here's an indication of how well the State of
Texas' finances and the Texas economy are going right now. Nobody wants
to pave Third Street, because they've got better things to do.

The Texas Department of Transportation has again failed to find a contractor
to handle the job of repaving Third Street at the price set by the state,
according to spokesman Glen Larum.

But TxDOT has started work on replacing sidewalks, curbs and gutters
along the street, for it's 3-mile length through town.

Landscaping will also be part of the project, which TxDOT inspector
Gary Rumbaugh said should be completed by the Fourth of July. Paving work
is also planned, but it won't be the type of paving TxDOT had hoped to
put down, according to Larum.

"We got another bid that was 50 to 60 percent over what had been budgeted,"
Larum said today. "As a result, we are not awarding it, and will just do
the curbs, gutters, sidewalks and landscaping."

TxDOT tried last year to get bids for the Third Street (Business I-20)
project, which would have involved asphalt microsufacing of the highway,
similar to the type of surface they applied to U.S. 285 south of town.

But Paul Henderson, area engineer for the TxDOT, said at the time that
the only bid received for the project was 74.43 percent above the engineering
estimate.

At the time, Henderson estimated the project's cost at $756,000, but
the only bid, from a company in northeast Texas, came in at $1.3 million.

"It surprised us," Henderson said last May. "We were expecting three
bidders. They said they had more work than they could attend to."

Larum said the problem was the same this time around, as TxDOT has enough
projects going in other parts of the state, and contractors have enough
work, to ignore the bid requests for the Business I-20 job.

"With all the projects going on around the state, the contractors don't
have to come out here, unless they get a price they like," he said. The
contractor would have to move his microsufacing equipment to the area,
Larum said, and right now, "They're busy elsewhere."

"We're going to go back and see what we can do," Larum said. "We may
have to do something different, either seal coating or rehabbing it a couple
of years down the road."

The work that will be done on Third Street will be similar to the job
that has been going on along South Cedar Street (U.S. 285) over the past
two years.

Sidewalks and landscaping was put in two years ago on Cedar from I-20
to Walthall Street, and new curbing is currently being installed from First
to Walthall Streets, a project that began in November.

TxDOT officials urge Pecos drivers to observe all warning and speed
limit signs, obey flaggers directing traffic, and to watch for equipment
and workers near the roadway and to proceed cautiously through the construction
area.

The resurfacing of Third Street was originally scheduled for 1998, but
was delayed while the city installed new sewer lines on an 11-block stretch
through the downtown area. Larum said next year, TxDOT plans a resurfacing
project for I-20, between the Pecos River and the Barstow exit in Ward
County.

PHA board to receive updates on rehab work

PECOS, Mar. 1, 2000 - The Pecos Housing Authority will get an update on
the 1998 CIAP housing rehabilitation project and budget, during the board's
regular monthly meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, in the PHA administration office
at 600 Meadowbrook Drive.

In other business, the board will discuss/approve:

- The purchase of 95 30-inch ranges for PHA apartments;

- opening a proposal for audit for the fiscal year that ended on Dec.
31, 1999;

- The PHA's management operation certification (HUD-50072).

The monthly reports for the month of February 1999 will also be reviewed
for approval by the board.

Members will also discuss a letter from Carrie Bobbins of HUD regarding
performance funding system operating subsidy and a letter from Donald J.
LaVoy of the Real Estate Assessment Center in Washington D.C., regarding
the results of the resident service and satisfaction survey.

In the Farm Labor Housing portion of the meeting, board members will
discuss a unit by unit inspection by the Rural Development Service Center
staff that occurred on Feb. 23-24. They will also discuss a letter from
John E. Perkins of the Fort Stockton Rural Development office regarding
that inspection.

In other business, the board will discuss/approve the report on audit
of financial statements for 12 months of the FLH's Fiscal Year, which ran
from April 1, 1998 to March 31, 1999.

New power line for wind project going across area

PECOS, Mar. 1, 2000 - The Lower Colorado River Authority's Board of Directors
has approved a plan to build a 100-mile transmission line across Culberson,
Reeves, Loving and Winkler counties to bring energy from a privately owned
wind energy project near Guadalupe Pass to the statewide transmission grid
near Wink.

The wind farm plant is currently capable of producing 30 megawatts of
electricity, and plans are to expand that by 170 to 225 megawatts. The
line itself would carry 138,000 volts and would be paid for by fees received
by the LCRA from utilities using power from the line.

The LRCA is already buying 35 megawatts from the Texas Wind Power Project,
which began operation on hills south of Guadalupe Peak in 1995. The new
agreement will connect up with the Delaware Mountain Wind Farm, for which
the LRCA is purchasing 7½ megawatts of the current 30-megawatt capacity.

Guadalupe Pass is considered the windiest part of Texas, with gusts
recorded up to 163 mph at the Texas Wind Power Project shortly after its
opening.

Police Report

EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is
obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County
Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies.

The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either
traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered
arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were
paid. In such instances we will indicate payment and release.

***

Frankie Menchaca, 27, was arrested at 3:23 p.m., on February 10, at
Uncle's on Third and Cedar streets, for forgery.

***

Joel Muniz, 30, was arrested at 6:42 p.m., on February 10, in the 800
block of Ninth Street, on a warrant service.

***

Francisco Quinonez, 17, was arrested at 8 p.m., on February 10, in Balmorhea,
on a local warrant.

***

Eliazar L. Barrera, 28, was arrested at 2:53 a.m., on February 11, at
the corner of Lunday and Alamo streets, for public intoxication.

***

Arnulfo Miranda Jr., 34, was arrested at 12:52 a.m., on February 12,
at La Officina Club, for public intoxication.

***

Salvador Muniz, 17, was arrested at 1:10 a.m., on February 12, in the
700 block of South Cedar Street, for theft under Class `C'.

***

Ismael Rodriguez, 51, self-surrendered at 9:20 p.m., on February 12,
in Balmorhea, on a local warrant.

***

Jesse Pesina, 22, was arrested at 12:12 p.m., on February 13, in the
300 block of South Cypress Street, for burglary of a building.

***

Gilbert S. Chavez, 27, was arrested at 2:24 p.m., on Feb. 13, in the
400 block of Mulberry St., for public intoxication/unauthorized use of
a motor vehicle.

***

Courtney P. Aman, 34, was arrested at 6:30 p.m., on February 13, on
I-10 west bound, for possession of stolen property/driving while license
suspended/theft under $50.

***

A male juvenile was arrested at 2:39 a.m., on February 14, in the 600
block of Locust Street, on a probation violation.

***

Gilbert S. Chavez, 27, was arrested at 3:23 p.m., on February 14, on
a warrant out of Odessa for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

***

Consuelo Maria Juarez Garcia, 45, was arrested at 2:12 a.m., on February
16, in the 100 block of South Oak Street, for driving while intoxicated.

***

Albert Prieto Jr., 18, was arrested at 1:08 p.m., on Feb.16, in the
100 block of North Pecan St., on a Grand Jury Indictment warrant for aggravated
assault.

***

George Galindo, 42, was arrested at 1:10 a.m., on February 17, at the
corner of Fourth and Peach streets, on a DWI refusal.

***

Manuela Hernandez, 20, was arrested at 3:42 a.m., on February 17, at
the Pecos Police Department, for public intoxication.

***

Ruben Mark Zaragosa, 20, was arrested at 10:11 p.m., on February 17,
in the 1500 block of Morris Street, for assault under the Family Violence
Act.

***

Christopher Mendoza, 17, was arrested at 6:25 p.m., on February 18,
at Wal-Mart, on a warrant for disorderly conduct and a warrant for criminal
trespass.

***

Charlie E. Campos, 19, Saury Salagado, 19, and Ismael Valeriano, 19,
were arrested at 8:27 p.m., on February 18, at the corner of Elm and `D'
streets, as minors in possession; Valeriano was also charged with driving
under the influence.

***

~Juan R. Pastrana, 32, was arrested at 10:50 p.m., on February 18, on
I-10, for driving while license suspended.

***

Eric Steve Garcia, 28, was served with a warrant at 10:57 p.m., on February
18, at Reeves County Jail, on a warrant for a parole violation.

***

Manuel L. Trevino, 31, was arrested at 11:23 p.m., on February 18, in
the 1000 block of Second Street, on a warrant for theft by appropriation.

***

Luis Rojas Aranda, 53, was arrested at 12:13 a.m., on February 19, at
La Offecina Club, for a false report.

***

Mary M. Ramirez, 36, was arrested at 5:31 p.m., on February 19, in the
500 block of South Mesquite Street, for public intoxication.

***

Eduardo Santos, 21, and Pedro M. Acosta, 21, were arrested at 5:59 p.m.,
on February 19, in the 1000 block of Madison Street. Santos was charged
with driving while intoxicated; Acosta with public intoxication/possession
of a prohibited weapon.

***

Arnulfo Miranda Jr., 34, was arrested at 11:03 p.m., on February 19,
in the 500 block of Walnut Street, for public intoxication.

***

Elias Sanchez, 47, and Jose M. Salcido, 57, were arrested at 6:43 p.m.,
on February 20, in the 500 block of East Fourth Street. Sanchez was charged
with public intoxication; Salcido with driving while intoxicated.

***

Jose Luis Pando, 35, was arrested at 9:58 p.m., on February 22, in the
100 block of South Park Street, on a warrant for assault and a warrant
for criminal trespass.

***

Miguel A. Estrada, 38, was arrested at 10:30 p.m., on February 22, in
the 100 block of West Third Street, for driving while intoxicated.

***

Sherry Ortega, 23, was arrested at 3:21 p.m., on February 23, on a local
warrant.

***

Ruben Villegas, 20, was arrested at 12:14 a.m., on February 24, in the
1900 block of South Eddy Street, on DPS warrants.